Strengthen Your Core & Glutes With This Workout

It’s important not only to keep your body strong, but also to make it flexible and functional. Coordination, balance, and stability are the keys to so many physical activities and your glute/core muscles are the foundation of these attributes. One of the best ways to strengthen your glute and core is with resistance bands. By combining strength and balance exercises with them you become able to improve the overall efficiency and intensity of your workouts. Strong glutes and core are the key to everything because they improve your posture and make everyday activities so much easier. By working these areas you can also help prevent injuries to your lower back, hips, and knees just to name a few. If you don’t already have bands they are very inexpensive to buy online and they are a great staple to have. What follows is a great at-home workout, that you can very easily take on the road, during your next run or while traveling to make sure your body is always excelling.

HIGH PERFORMANCE TIP

Try to lay the band as flat as possible, it will be more comfortable that way. If it does roll together, it is still working and you don’t have to fix it unless you want to for comfort.

Squat to kickback

Band Position: Above Knees

A) Squat while making sure to put your weight on your heels.

B) As you come up, kick your leg to the back, with toe facing the ground. Hold for three seconds.

Knee lift to side lift

Band Position: Around Ankles

A) Lift your knee to your chest and then back with a flexed toe.

B) Without setting your foot down lift leg to the side.

Half lunge folding over to airplane

Band Position: Around ankles

A) Standing in a split stand with both legs bent, keep a flat back.

B) Stand up on the front leg into an airplane and balance. Lift your back leg up as high as you can.

Side plank knee opener

Band Position: Over the Knee

A) Keep both legs bent. Lift up into a side plank.

B) Open and close your knees.

Plank leg lift

Band Position: Around ankles

A) Plank with your core tight and a flat back in a neutral position.

B) Lift one leg up in a controlled manner than set back down and lift the other foot.

Hip lift with leg lift

Band Position: Above Knee

A) Laying on your back, squeeze your glutes and lift your hips high.

B) Put your weight onto one leg and lift the other, keeping the hips high. Extend the leg out and in.